


call to war

by sevedra



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Winter Soldier (Comics)
Genre: Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Bucky Barnes Recovering, Canon Divergence - Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Gen, NevermoreBlack, Not Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-03
Updated: 2018-05-03
Packaged: 2019-05-01 13:34:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14521677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sevedra/pseuds/sevedra
Summary: Bucky never thought he'd return to war. And he never thought he'd lose Steve.What if Bucky survived The Snap instead?Thanks toNevermoreBlackfor the idea





	call to war

**Author's Note:**

  * For [NevermoreBlack](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NevermoreBlack/gifts).



Steve looked good for a man two years on the run.

Following the disaster of the fight the world called the Superhero Civil War, T’Challa had offered sanctuary in Wakanda. It turned out it was only for Bucky. T’Challa felt guilt and responsibility for chasing Bucky across half of Europe for a crime he hadn’t committed. He felt no such regret or obligation to Captain America, who had been capable of making his own choices. Choices that T’Challa vehemently disagreed with. Steve had been in Wakanda long enough to see Bucky into cryostasis and then he’d been politely shown his way out. T’Challa had waked him in less than a month’s time. Shuri, T’Challa’s brilliant younger sister, had already designed a method to remove the triggers from his mind. He’d undergone the procedure and been allowed to remain and recover in Wakanda. It was peaceful and beautiful and everything Bucky had never had before in his life. He’d maybe taken advantage of T’Challa’s good graces by staying permanently. But T’Challa had no objections and Bucky didn’t have it in him to refuse the chance at a life without killing.

Now, two years later, T’Challa had come with Okoye to his tiny farm. Shown up and scared the goats and opened a metal case with a deadly arm inside. Bucky knew it must be the end of the world. T’Challa would never have asked this of him if it weren’t. Burying his despair deep inside, Bucky accepted the arm and the call to war. It would be poor repayment indeed if he refused to defend Wakanda against whomever her enemies were. And the new vibranium arm was amazing and beautiful. Fighting once again, as long as it was only the once, might be worth it to pay for the arm.

Seeing Steve again might make it worth it as well. They exchanged smiles, embraced, and the friendship between them immediately fell back into place. It felt as though they had never been apart. Standing together. Fighting together. Watching each other’s back.

Bucky knew war. He knew death. He knew killing. It was his element. Not one he would have chosen for himself, but one that had been made his. He’d been shaped in the mud-filled trenches of Europe and fired in the kilns of frozen Russia. The Winter Soldier. It would always live under his skin.

The battle waged around them. Steve a constant companion. His brother. His good right hand. The one he never lost. The one they’d never replaced. The bond between them was as true as his own flesh and blood. As right as breathing. As strong as the will to survive and overcome. Steve always had stood strong. He’d never backed down. And Bucky had always stood beside him. And he always would. Having Steve back, knowing Steve, fighting alongside Steve; it made everything else in the world make sense.

Almost everything. The talking raccoon that wanted his arm made no sense.

At long last, the battle turned. A Viking who could shoot lightning from a battle-axe had turned the tide. A looming defeat transformed into a blooming hope. While the main Wakandan army fought on the plains, the Avengers and other enhanced were taking to the edges of the forest. Bucky followed Steve.

The Viking was locked with a purple monstrosity. The purple alien was enormous. He had a golden glove on his left hand with shimmering gemstones set in the back of the hand. The Viking’s axe was buried in the alien’s chest. There were words being exchanged, but they were too far away for Bucky to hear. Steve was between him and the locked pair.

The alien snapped the fingers of the glove. It was a metal glove, snapping the fingers seemed impossible. But on a day with aliens and giant-sized roto-tillers, a malleable metal glove was no more surprising than a perfectly maneuverable vibranium arm. For a moment nothing happened. The entire world was frozen, holding its breath for the result of the alien’s action. Then the alien disappeared.

For another minute, the Viking and Steve and Bucky all stood still as statues. The Viking staring at the empty space the purple thing had vacated, Steve staring at the Viking. Bucky staring at Steve.

As Bucky watched, Steve’s right leg began to drift. Bucky wasn’t sure what he was seeing. Steve’s leg was turning to dust and blowing away in the wind. “Steve!” Bucky was afraid and alarmed and so very confused. Steve started to turn towards him, but as he moved the slow disintegration seemed to speed up. By the time he was fully facing Bucky, only his head and the upper portion of his left torso were left. His face was a mask of confusion and fear. Bucky stepped toward him, but it was too late.

Steve was no longer there.

Bucky cried out and his movement turned into a run. Ashes of Steve fell around him. Coating his face and his right hand. He tried to grasp hold, but the remnants slipped between his fingers. Tears fell as Bucky’s knees hit the ground. He grabbed handfuls of dust and dirt, but it wasn’t Steve. Nothing was Steve. Steve was nothing. Steve was gone.

Bucky howled his misery to the skies. His mind couldn’t comprehend what had happened. It had happened so fast. Steve was whole one moment and gone in the next. His friend, his brother, his everything. Gone.

And Bucky was alone in his grief.

**Author's Note:**

> NevermoreBlack asked me what if Steve disappeared and Bucky was left behind. But for some reason, i have a hard time getting Steve in my head, so this wasn't a true fill for that prompt. I do appreciate the starting point though. And one day, maybe i can do it better.


End file.
